For mass market affordable and practical EVs multiple electric motors is a bad idea because it is inefficient in a number of ways. One way is motor efficiency. Two or four motors are less efficient than a single large electric motor (not so for ICE). Another way of efficiency losses is through heat extraction for cabin heating using a heat pump. To extract heat from a single motor and motor controller is more efficient than extracting heat from several smaller units. Power for cabin heating is a big issue in EVs because it can consume about 3000 to 4000 watt and that will reduce EV vehicle range by 20% as a typical EV needs 15000 and 20000 watts to move the car. The point is to do it in an intelligent way using a heat pump requiring only about 600 watt to generate 3000 to 4000 watts of heat. However, for the heat pump to be efficient it must have a central source of heat such as one motor and one battery. The latter is a also a good reason not to use two separate batteries as in the Volvo C30 EV. Thermal battery management will be most efficient using one compact battery.

Using multiple motors and separate batteries in an EV will make it more expensive, less durable and most importantly it will reduce vehicle range especially in cold weather.

The Car does remind me of the old steam locomotives with many large wheels. Low cost, street legal and small range-extender-fuel-generator are parts of the formula for a successful plug in electric hybrid that runs mostly on batteries. Advances in lead batteries now allow lighter weight and lower cost for electric vehicles. The electronic drive systems are also too large and too expensive, but I am glad that several manufactures are now in the market to force the competition to lower prices and automate production. Fifteen kilowatts is sufficient for most automobile uses. ..HG..

I'm not with Henrik.

As I have expressed before, with wheel motors you do not need a differential and axles. The mechanics are simpler, and you have more design freedom because you don't have the motor, axles and differential in a predetermined location between the wheels. Electric motors are highly efficient, so not much heat can be harvested from them anyway.

Heating has never been much of an issue in ICE cars, because there is ample waste heat available. Their design has therefore never been optimized with energy efficient heating in mind. With electric cars this will have to change. Cars will be insulated and a heat exchanger will be used to harvest heat from the expelled cabin air. My guess is that the 3-4 kW that Henrik mentions is much more than a future EV needs for heating.

Having an 8 wheeled EV will only make it more expensive and less durable than a 4 wheeled EV but even a 16 wheeled EV will have less parts to break than a 2 wheeled ICE motorcycle.

Cooling of electrical components such as motor, generator and inverter in the Prius is done via liquid coolant. The heat obtained from this coolant can be used to heat the cabin via a heat exchanger. This means that there would be little difference in heat-harvesting efficiency whether a single motor is used or multiple motors are used.

The on-board AC can double its function as a heatpump in not-too-frigid weather to supplement cabin heating. However, when it gets too cold, perhaps a portable genset (electrical genertor) designed to be removably attached to the vehicle can also double as a heater as well, thus eliminate the wasteful use of gasoline solely for the purpose of space heating.

This genset is designed with liquid cooling combined with exhaust heat recuperation also via the liquid cooling circuit, thereby would work great to provide generous amount of heat to the cabin. The liquid cooling line simply has to be connected to the vehicle's coolant circuit. This genset would work great to extend driving range in a BEV on occasions when longer range is needed, allowing a smaller battery to reduce cost and weight. In Northern climates in which winters may last up to 6 months, this genset/heater is a must for practical adaptation of the BEV. When cabin is warmed enough, the genset can be stopped to conserve gasoline.

Two or four motors are less efficient than a single large electric motor (not so for ICE).

A smaller engine will generally be more efficient than a larger one [1] for the same power, and [2] within limits.  What will not be more efficient is 4 small engines producing the same power as 1 big one, which is what you implied.

I think I'm with Anne on this one. Human bodies create a fair amount of heat if you've got really good insulation and a heat exchanger on the air vents. You still need that first jolt of heat to get the cabin somewhat comfortable. I've heard heated seats are somewhat efficient because they put all the heat where it does the most good.

I've been attracted to in-wheel electric moters since playing the "Car Wars" game by Steve Jackson Games in the 1980's.

This design is ridiculous with 8 wheels, though.

I want to hear if the simple, light-weight frame is also safe.

If the motor controller creates 1 kWh in heat and you can get that heat with a Stirling heat pump then you have 3400 BTU per hour. With good cabin insulation and 1 to 4 passengers it should be comfortable.

Another idea from Winnipeg:

Frost shields were mandatory on side and rear windows from October to April. These were stick on clear plastic with knobs to create an air space. You put them on the inside of the window and they converted your windows into thermopane: no frost or fogging. I had a VW bus, which is the closest thing to an unheated IC engine vehicle you can have. I put frost shields on my front windows too.

Trucks in Siberia use double pane windows, front windshields included (they use flat glass). Battery powered cars will need some form of lightweight, scratch resistant double pane windows.

Why would' I agree with SJC,
We know that production lines are geared for drive from a differential like source and a paired esp pancake motor is that.
We know that there are issues with larger power handling that are not easil or cheaply resolved and a pancake motor has 50% component redundancy facto while a siames single axis has near 100% redundancy.
Best of all - I like it.

WHeel motors are infant technology and one day may answer all the engineering issues in a convenient robust, line ready way but we should place some weight on transformation when discussing existing production lines and entrenched and proven systems.
Think retrofit not just at the consumer end but also the manufactures convenience.

As an aside.

Speaking of air conditioning though you may be aware of the ionic NO piston compressor some smarties on the continent have devised for compressing H2.

Im no fan of the current state of tech but the compressor they designed (and built - in production?) is ingenious.

The ionic fluid acts as an iterface piston and does not interact with H2 so it is virtually frictionless.

I haven' been able to visualise a working example of this on a standard ice engine but with a little more time and imagination it is not hard to see that a refigerant gas can be pumped from a positive displacement (or similar varying pressure) location on an ICE wich should have an embarrassment of possibilities, and you would have a no EXTRA moving part refrig compressor.

This is an elephant in the room as big as Mazda's I - smart while
I find the current state of auto air con as wastefull, ugly concept barely worthy of recognition. - Maybe thats just me? (not the ugly etc bit)